Method

Wipe the outside of the turkey and cavity with kitchen towelling – soak the muslin cloth in the melted butter.

Make the stuffing by combining all the ingredients and mix well. Loosely load (stuffing expands as it cooks) the stuffing into the large cavity and also into the neck cavity. Skewer or tie into place. Wrap the muslin around the breast and put the turkey onto a cooking rack in a suitable sized baking tray. Any leftover stuffing can be rolled into balls and placed around the turkey for the last 30 minutes of cooking and served as extra.

Cook the turkey, on its back, for 30 minutes, baste with pan juices and reduce the heat to 180ºC and cook for 2½ hours, basting every 30 minutes. After 2 hours of cooking, remove the muslin cloth and baste the breast with pan juices.

If you are serving the turkey immediately, leave it to cook for a further 15 minutes. If allowing to cool before serving, remove from the oven, loosely cover with foil (shiny side in) and leave to cool. The turkey must rest for at least 10 minutes before carving. If the tips of the legs are browning excessively (read burning), roll foil around them.

Carve and serve with roasted vegetables of your choice and cranberry on the side.